What is council tax and who should pay it?

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What is council tax?

Council tax is the local tax which helps councils pay for the services they provide. We use the money collected for council tax to maintain roads and street lighting, for services such as street cleaning and rubbish collection and for things like ‘Meals on wheels’.

It also goes towards paying for services provided by the Greater London Authority (GLA), such as the fire brigade, the police and other London-wide organisations.

How will I know how much to pay?

How much you pay is based on the council tax band your property is in. There are circumstances where you may be entitled to a discount, such as, if you are a single adult living alone, or you are on a low income. You can find out about these on our council tax discounts and exemptions page.